My husband loves cookies, but most of his favorite recipes call for brown sugar. Here in Guatemala we haven’t found a good source for brown sugar that is like what we could get in the states. Oh, they have brown colored sugar that they sell in the Dispensa Familiar for about US$1.60 for a bag but it’s not the same. Recently, we discovered that we can make brown sugar on our own!
First you have to find molasses. We asked around and found two sources:
1) Guatemala City
There’s a little baking supply shop in San Cristobal in the shopping center located on the opposite side of the boulevard from Burger King/Cemaco. I don’t have the name right now, but I’ll try to add it later.
They charge by the pound for the molasses (about Q15/lb.) but that’ll make a bunch of brown sugar!
2) Quetzaltenango (Xela)
The Bake Shop is at 18 Av 1-40, Zone 3. Hours are 9am-6pm, Tuesday and Friday.
I’ve heard they have molasses but I don’t know the pricing.
Once you have your molasses on hand here’s the recipe:
1 cup of white sugar (non-sulfurized is best but you can use regular granulated sugar)
1 tablespoon of molasses
Mix these together. (You can add more or less of the molasses to have darker or lighter results.)
I found that the molasses kinda balls up in the sugar but a fork will mash it against the side of the bowl and mix it in really nicely!
After you get the mix you like, store the fresh brown sugar in an airtight container, place on top of oatmeal, or mix up your next batch of cookies!
I got this idea from Joy the Baker!